Olivia Miles just locked down the 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year award, and get this, it was unanimous. She scooped up all 74 votes from a national panel, making her the first player since Aliyah Boston in 2023 to win it without a single dissenting vote. That’s a statement, right? The No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 Draft has been straight-up electric, putting together one of the best rookie seasons the league has ever seen, becoming the sixth Lynx player to grab the honor. She’s putting her name alongside legends like Napheesa Collier, Maya Moore, and Seimone Augustus.
A Rookie Season For The Ages
Seriously, this wasn’t just a good rookie season; it was historic. Miles averaged a ridiculous 19.8 points, 4.7 boards, 6 assists, and 1.3 steals, all on super efficient 49.2/38.8/87 shooting splits. Her 61% true shooting was nearly five percent above the league average! She wasn’t just leading all rookies in scoring and assists; she finished eighth and seventh overall in the entire league in those categories, respectively. Talk about hitting the ground running. In just her tenth career game, Miles drained eight 3-pointers, absolutely smashing Caitlin Clark’s rookie record for most 3s in a game. And she didn’t stop there. She was the fastest player ever to hit 400 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists. Miles blew past the Lynx rookie records for both points and assists, and then broke Clark’s mark again for most points in a season by a rookie, piling up 790. She swept every single Rookie of the Month honor, obviously. And yep, she was an All-Star starter, making her only the 11th rookie in WNBA history to do that. They’ll probably name her to the All-WNBA First Team later this fall, too, and nobody will be surprised.
From #1 Seed To Sudden Trouble
Now, here’s where it gets wild. The Lynx were coming into this season with low expectations after crashing out of the 2025 playoffs when Collier went down with a brutal ankle injury, needing surgery on both. They lost six rotation players, too. But Miles? She changed everything. The Lynx blasted off to a 10-2 start thanks in huge part to her, holding the No. 1 seed from July 12 onward. They finished the regular season with an incredible 33-11 record, clinching the best record and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs for the second year in a row. They were the clear favorites to win the title, their first since 2017. But then came Sunday. The New York Liberty, playing on the road, stunned the No. 1 Lynx in Game 1 of their first-round series. Miles herself struggled, shooting just 3-for-12 from the field for 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 assist.
The Lynx now have to travel to Brooklyn for Game 2 on Tuesday. It’s win or go home. Can Miles bounce back and keep their season alive after such a historic individual year? The WNBA is watching to see how this plays out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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